Runner II
by BobWhite
Summary: Makela is an eighteen year old Runner who is trying to protect a group of children from Wraith ravenged worlds. What happens when she runs into Lieutenant Ford and then Todd? Please R&R 2 find out more!
1. Makela Ketating

**Full Summary:**

Makela Ketating is the last of her people. At the age of ten, she became known as the youngest Runner in the Pegasus Galaxy. Now, though, she is no longer fighting for her own survival. Knowing that the Wraith never go back to a planet they have completely culled (wiped out) the planet of human life, she seeks refuge there for the children she rescues from Wraith ravaged worlds. What happens when she runs into first Ford, then Todd? Will Todd help heal Ford & get the rest back to Atlantis? And will she and her children be welcome on Atlantis?

**Makela Ketating:**

I am the youngest Runner. I am 18-years-old. I have been Running since I was ten years old, since my people were wiped out by the Wraith. And I am there only hope. Children from around the galaxy whose people have been taken by the wraith find a home on my home planet, also wiped out by the wraith. They never come back to an eradicated planet. To keep them safe, I only return to the planet to leave food and warn them to go underground. My home planet had underground catacombs and that is where the children hide.

On the surface, I make it look like no one has survived the attack, then I wait for the wraith to walk through the gate before I attack. They have already fallen into my trap. The children stay mostly underground for the next week. I have a human friend that I can trust that journey's back to to them to tell them it is safe to come out. He stays with them until his men need him. He seems good with kids, as if he has done if before.

But more of me and my people. We used to be a proud people. We had Ancient weapons that we used whenever the wraith came, but the last time they came, we were outnumbered, there were just too many of them. My people were the Mirianic, a proud people and at times vicious people. Our Army was known to take no prisoners. So when the planet was culled when I was ten, I became on of the many victims. I thought I would be eaten, but no, the Queen saw the fire in my eyes and made me a Runner instead. So at the age of ten, I became the youngest Runner in the Pegasus Galaxy.

I picked up weapons at every world I was on. In total, I had four swords (carried on my back), about twenty daggers hidden on my body, a gun in which I stole from a 'space traveler' (same as gun as Ronon's), a P90 that I grabbed from a dead soldier, multiple 9mm guns (also grabbed from dead soldiers and all their ammo), a homemade bow with metal arrows, a crossbow with metal tipped wood arrows, sling shot with sharp pieces of rock/minerals & metal that were small enough to penetrate skin, a few wraith stunners, a few machetes, a whip, four sets of metal cuff chains (like medieval handcuff), three axes (imagine Gimli's axes from LOTR), a stash of spears/arrows with crystal points, and a small satchel of C4. All the weapons that I didn't carry on me were stashed in a bag in which I carried on my shoulders as I traveled.

In my opinion, the weapons with crystal points hurt the worst because I had made them so they went through three people (mostly wraith) at a time. I was used to fighting by and for myself. The kids were an extra. I didn't know what to do when they came to me for help. So I figured if I took them back to the home planet of the Mirianic, the wraith would never come back. I never imagined that a Wraith would personally seek me out and help me get the Wraith transmitter out of my body. Nor did I expect my human friend to know people that could help the children I was trying so hard to protect.


	2. Lieutenant Aiden Ford

**Lieutenant Aiden Ford:**

The last time Lieutenant Ford was seen, he was on a Wraith hive ship that was about to explode. Kernel Sheppard made a quote saying 'I'm sure we'll see Ford again soon'. Nobody expected that the next time they would see Ford was with the help of Todd and a Runner in charge of over two dozen children.

Ford first came in contact with Makela when she saved him from the Wraith Hive Ship that was about to explode. Makela got ahold of a Dart and picked up Ford. When they got to the planet below, Makela let Ford out and the parked the Dart some distance away before blowing it up. She went up to Ford, introducing herself and divulging who she really was. She asked for his help.

Ford's men were all dead and Makela told him she could help, for a price of course. Ford needed to get the Enzyme out of his system and Makela needed someone to look over the children. A deal was struck. With the explosion from the Hive Ships interfering with the Transmitter, Makela helped get the Enzyme out of Ford's system. Once all the Enzyme was out and he was human again (no super Ford anymore), he followed Makela back to the world of the once proud Mirianic and found a new life among the children. They exchanged radio frequency's and each kept a radio. When Makela came back to warn them the Wraith were coming, Ford got the children packed up & moved underground.

He old her of the people he used to be with and she kept an eye out for them. She never bothered to go to a world that the wraith didn't know about. Some planets couldn't be inhabited by the Wraith so sometimes, she would head there. Using Ford's IDC code, she would leave messages with people who were friendly with Ford's old friends.

Then came the day where a lone Wraith contacted her. He wanted to meet. Ford told the children to go underground and then he and Makela waited in hiding for the lone Wraith.


	3. Todd

**Todd:**

Todd learned of the female Runner through the queen who held him captive and so he sought her out. Todd had also learned of Lieutenant Ford during his captivity on Atlantis. He'd been told that Lt. Ford was dead.

As he prepared to meet with this Runner, he knew she would probably wasn't alone. Before going to the meeting, he got ahold of Atlantis, letting them know what he was planning. They in turn told him not to screw with them. So with that notion in mind, he went to the world of the Mirianic, a people destroyed by the Wraith. And the meeting began.

He walked through the Stargate and right away saw the destruction. As soon as the Stargate shut down, he had a gun to his head. It was the Runner.

The Meeting:

"What do you want with me _Wraith_?" _Makela asked._

"I happen to know you are a Runner. I come to help. I will gladly take the Transmitter from your body." _Todd said._

"At what price? Makela don't trust him, he's wraith." _Ford said._

"And you must be the famous Lt. Ford. Sheppard spoke fondly of you. Though I must say, they all believe you to have been killed on the Hive that was blown up."

"You know Major Sheppard?"

"It's Kernel Sheppard now. And I have helped them in the past with the Replicators. You can take the gun off of me, I can't harm you. See,"_ he showed them his hand where the feeding mark used to be._ "A doctor on Atlantis has made a cure for us, though I have to say, destroys our ships as well when we go into the Pods to sleep."

"Why would the Wraith help get rid of the Replicators?" _Ford asked._

"They were destroying whole civilizations and even knew that what was happening was wrong. Wraith may cull a planet, but we would never destroy one for no reason. Some of us still hone our human part. Besides, the Replicators were a common enemy between the people of Atlantis and the Wraith. It was an honor to help destroy them."

"You would remove the Transmitter and help us get back to Atlantis? What's in it for you?" _Makela asked._

"I have found an Ancient device that finishes turning Wraith back to human, but don't possess the gene. I wish to be human once more, something I have never known. But in working with Kernel Sheppard and his team, I so wish to be rid of wanting to eat people. I've been fancying eating fruit I never knew existed before. So, do you want the Transmitter removed?"

"Very much so. Come with us."

Todd followed Makela and Ford brought up the rear, they used one of the outer buildings. Makela took her gear off and pulled up her shirt, then lay down on the table. Todd made a small incision just above her kidney and using his detector, removed the Transmitter, turning it off before throwing it to the floor where Ford shot it to pieces. Todd sewed Makela up and put a bandage on it.

Three hours later, Makela was awake and ready to leave.


	4. Atlantis

**Atlantis:**

**Mirianic World:**

Once Makela had her weapons & bag of stuff, Ford brought the children and all of their belongings to the surface, and Todd was again with a gun to his back. They all made their way back to the gate, Todd proceeded to to punch in Atlantis' code and waited for a response. As soon as a response came and the shield was lowered, Todd walked through first, then the kids went through.

**Gate Room:**

Sheppard and his team were waiting on the other side of the gate when Todd walked through. Before they could move, the first of the kids walked through. Thirty kids in all walked through the gate and then Ford & Makela walked through together, hand in hand. Ronon spoke first.

"Who are these people Todd?"

"This is Makela, the young Runner I have tracked down. Upon further talk, I came to know this young man as Lieutenant Ford. Apparently Makela helped get the Enzyme out of his system. The children are in their care."

"Ford?" _Kernel Sheppard, Teyla & McKay asked together._

"Yea, Makela got me off the Hive Ship, got the Enzyme out of my system and I in turn took charge of the kids while she was gone. Ah, Todd here, removed Makela's transmitter this morning."

"And the kids? Who do they belong to?" _Mr. Woolsey asked._

"They are all orphans who sought me out. They come from Wraith ravenged worlds. They have been hiding on Mirianic in the catacombs. Todd took the transmitter out so he could use us as a bargaining chip p you. Apparently he has come upon an Ancient Machine that turns wraith human."

"Really? Where?" _McKay asked._

"Not now McKay." _Ronon said._

"Can the children get some rest please? They are not used to being in a city like this. And quite frankly we could all do with some rest." _I said._

"You & the kids can share a room, Ford needs to answer some questions." _Kernel Sheppard said._

"And he will, in the morning. He is still recovering from our fight with the Wraith a few days ago."

"Fine, we'll talk in the morning. We'll show you to your quarters. Todd, no offense, but its back to the cell for you."

"Of course, I would expect nothing else from you Sheppard."

"Follow us." _Teyla said._

Ford & I picked up some of the younger kids. My bag was still on m back, hiding most of my weapons. We followed them to our quarters and helped the kids settle down. Once the kids were sleeping, Ford & I met with Kernel Sheppard and his team in the Medical Wing.

**Medical Wing:**

Ronon noticed all the weapons I had. He seemed to be starring a lot which made me uneasy. Ford was checked to and I got a new bandage on my back. I thanked the doctor, then turned to the small leather satchel attached to my belt. I turned to Kernel Sheppard.

"I believe these belong to all of your fallen soldiers. As I took the weapons, ammo and C4 from their bodies, I also took their dog tags. The Wraith didn't need to get ahold of them." _I said, pulling all the dog tags from the satchel and putting them on the table._

"So you are the one that was stripping them of anything useful. Well, I guess you needed it more."

"How long have you been a Runner." _Ronon asked._

"My planet was culled when I was ten. I was taken before the queen to be fed upon. But just as she was going to feed upon me, she saw the fire in my eyes. She ordered her men to make me a Runner. I've been running ever since, picking up weapons as I go. I've made a bunch of weapons as well. I especially like my crystal arrows. They kill three wraith in one shot."

"So how long have you been a Runner?" _Ronon asked again._

"Oh, sorry. That would have to be eight years. I'm eighteen now so there's the answer to your question. You're not going to take my weapons from me are you?"

"You can keep them but you have to give back the C4, P90's & 9mm's. Everything else you can keep."

"How did you cure Ford?" _Teyla asked._

"He was already having withdrawal symptoms when I started. Using the explosions from the Wraith Hive as a way to block my Transmitter, I used this handy little device and pulled all the Enzyme from his body. It's of Ancient technology like most of my weapons are and I'd already taken the Enzyme from some of the kids so I knew it would work."

"Wait, you use Ancient technology against the wraith? How did you find weapons like that?" _McKay asked._

"My people used Ancient weapons to fight the wraith before we were wiped out. When I was let go on my home planet, o grabbed this space bag and filled it with weapons as well as clothes. This is my favorite gun." _I finished, pulling out a gun the resembled Ronon's own gun._

"You didn't happen to be a part of a people that live in ships and live in space did you?" _Kernel Sheppard asked._

"Laren told me that she knew my last name. Apparently, just before we were culled the last time, some of our people took to living in space to stay away from the Wraith. But I had the gun before meeting up with Laren. She gave me about ten cartridges for the gun but I barely need them. They are safely put away."

"Do you keep in contact with Laren?" _Teyla asked._

"That depends. Did any of your off world contacts give you our notes? I used Aiden's IDC code to show you that you had a friend in need."

"We got a few. But..." _McKay began._

"But what?" _Aiden & I asked together._

"Well we thought Ford was dead. We didn't heed them."

"Of course not. Did you ask your contacts who left them?"

"All answered with a 'tough girl in her late teens left them', then told them to hide for the wraith were coming."

"I only visited inhabited planets when Aiden needed to leave a message. Other than that, I tended to keep to the planets where even Wraith ships explode upon entering the atmosphere. I have placed many displaced people's on those planets over the years. The wraith simply won't go there. They cant breathe the air and the atmosphere destroys any wraith ships that try to land or cull. It's the perfect place for displaced peoples."

"Is it harmful to humans?" _Teyla asked._

"For two years, displace peoples have lived in peace. They have called the planets Toxin, Toxica, and Toxinora. Even the wraith refuse to go to them. Laren stocks up on food on those planets. She welcomes any and all that wish to join her fleet. She understood why I could not of course, but said she'd always be there for me when I needed the help. I think that's enough talk for now. Aiden and I must get some rest." _I finished and grabbed my weapons, leaving the C4, 9mm's and P90's and all the ammo that went with the guns on the bed. Then Aiden and I headed back to our quarters._


	5. Among Friends

**Among Friends:**

The next morning food was brought to us by Colonel Sheppard, Teyla, Ronon and Dr. McKay. All watched us eat and watched how Aiden and I interacted with each other and the children. They could see that there was something between myself and Aiden but couldn't quite put a finger on it. They could also tell that all of the children looked up to us like we were there parents. When we were done eating, we were told to take the children to the Infirmary where Dr. Keller was waiting for them. Once there, we left the children in the care of Dr. Keller and her people before following Colonel Sheppard. It was time to talk.

**Conference Room:**

Colonel Caldwell had been asked to join in talking to both Aiden and Makela. As the two got settled, the members of the Atlantis Expedition settled around the table as well. Some had uneasy looks on their faces focused on Lt. Ford. And so the talking began.

"Welcome to Atlantis Makela. Welcome back Lt. Ford. Shall we begin?" _Mr. Woolsey started._

"First, may I learn the names of who I am talking with? So I don't have to ask when you are talking."

"Of course; I am Mr. Woolsey, head of the Atlantis Expedition. This is Colonel Sheppard, Dr. Rodney McKay, Teyla Ammagen of Athos, Specialist Ronon Dex of Sateda and Colonel Caldwell. Ronon used to be a Runner as well before he joined Kernel Sheppard's team."

"I see. So where does that leave us? I mean will Aiden be able to stay now that he is no longer 'Super Ford'?"

"That depends on what he has been up to. He'll have to face a Court Marshal for leaving when and how he did but the fact that he hasn't had the Enzyme in him for quite some time will probably mean that he'll get a light sentence then he would have if he still had the Enzyme in him." _Colonel Caldwell said._

"Well I can tell you that he has kept the children safe from the wraith as long as I have known him. He has helped me on numerous occasions with fighting the wraith when they have followed me back to Mirianic. He has been good with the children and I think he actually likes that he can participate in the daily lives of those other than what he was doing when he was hopped up on the Enzyme."

"Can he talk for himself?" _Colonel Sheppard asked._

"Of course I can Kernel. Tell me, what am I to do other than attend a Court Marshal? Makela has been able to get ahold of a bunch of wraith tech that she was able to steel from a Genii outpost. We've tried to figure out what it means but it's been hard, especially when the possibility of the wraith being right behind her always made her want to get off the planet as fast as she could to keep me and the kids safe."

"Until we can get people here for the Court Marshal, you will do what you have been doing. You will help take care of the children and make sure that they are comfortable within the city." _Mr. Woolsey stated._

"And I can look at the wraith tech that you managed to get your hands on and figure out what it all means." _Dr. McKay said._

"Well, then what shall I do? I mean, not doing anything everyday is going to be boring."

"We were planning on meeting up with Larrin in a few days if you want to come along for the ride. You can bring your weapons with you and all but you'll be guarded by at least one of us at all times. No offense, but new comers are rarely allowed to wander around the base by themselves."

"I wouldn't expect that they would be. As for my weapons, I can share if you want. And I might be in the mood to join Larrin and her people in space, if you give us one of your Jumpers that Aiden has told me about."

"Only someone with the Ancient Gene can operate the Jumpers and Ford shouldn't have told you about those. He did sign a non-disclosure agreement saying he wouldn't tell anyone about them."

"Yea but you see, I'm not just anyone. If I can get back to Mirianic, I can get to the rest of the weapons that we had stashed away so not even highly trained wraith warriors would be able to find them. Only someone of the Mirianic bloodline would be able to locate them, along with the power source we used to keep our cities powered up."

"What kind of power source?" _Ronon and Teyla asked together._

"It's some kind of Crystalline Growth that is long. The Ancients showed our Ancestors how to power our cities with them and we had been using them up until we were attacked. When we were attacked, the power source along with most of the Ancient Weapons were secretly hidden, allowing only the Mayor and his family to know where it was located. The Mayor was my father."

"Well, I think we can make a trip back to Mirianic. Did the Ancients show your Ancestors any kind of ship to fight the wraith?"

"If you mean the six war ships we have in our underground hanger bays then yes. From what I remember, they work. I know that Aiden was able to find one of the Hangers and would use the war ship as an extra defense to house the children. The gates on the ships haven't been used in a millennia but I'm sure they can be powered up if need be."

"You have six ancient war ships? The Ancients must have been very fond of your people."

"The Mirianic were the first to be seeded by the Ancients. We had four testing grounds for any and all new Ancient weapons, but only two remain and they are underground at that; the other two were destroyed in the attack on my planet. If my people were able to hide in the catacombs below our planet, they wouldn't have stayed on Mirianic for long. The Hive Ships stayed above our planet for two months after culling to make sure there was no one hiding from them. I heard that they culled all the people that came from a cave in the mountains after thinking the wraith were gone. Of course they weren't wrong, and they were culled because of it. I do wish that some of my people did manage to survive, but I have no where to start looking for them."

"Do you have any way of identifying your people? Many displaced people have taken refuge on other planets. Maybe they settled on another planet after they were sure the wraith were gone." _Teyla said._

"That is a possibility, but I wouldn't know what to look for. Some of our people were born with abnormal genes but most of our people were born with the ability to use any and all ancient technology."

"We have a way to look at the DNA of people here. If I could get a sample of your blood, we could use it as a comparison to anyone that is found talking about anything or anyone of the Mirianic people. We'll ask and if they confirm or say that they are from Mirianic, then maybe they would be willing to let us take some blood and we can figure out if they are telling the truth."

"That would be great but there is no need for that. Once you are born on Mirianic, your blood is chronologically put into an ancient system and stored. The blood is labeled with the persons name and which family they are from so to make it easier to identify them."

"I see, so back to the weapons that are hidden on your planet Makela. Where exactly are they hidden? And are you willing to let us have the six Ancient War Ships to help in our fight against the wraith?" _Mr. Woolsey asked._

"I'm willing, but they must be worked on on Mirianic so as not to alert the wraith that they are still useable."

"That can be arranged. So the weapons are where?"_ Colonel Sheppard asked._

"They are hidden in rooms throughout the homes on the planet. The rooms aren't on any maps of the buildings so no one knows they are there. My father had me use my powers in order to make them invisible to the human eye. With the help of my sisters, we made the rooms invisible and then stocked them with enough food for anyone to survive in. My father ordered all the children born with special abilities to be locked in those rooms and told them not to come out unless someone with the ability to get into the rooms came for them. I was unable to get to the rooms while I was a Runner but I plan on going back and seeing if any of them survived."

"What kind of powers were the children born with?" _Teyla asked._

"Some of us could understand & hear the wraith's thoughts and plans for a certain people. Others like myself and my sisters could move the elements of the world and make things invisible. We were the only ones born with those abilities. And still others were able to shift from one place to the other, moving between jumps, shifting in and out of sight without becoming tired or anything. There were other gifts as well and we always chalked it up to being related to the Ancients. Before our Ancients ascended, they had most of the same powers most of the kids had but nobody could understand if they developed them just before they were going to ascend or if they were born with them. My brother had the ability of healing people but for some reason he could never heal himself."

"I thought you said everyone on your planet was taken by the wraith in the last great culling?"_ Dr. McKay asked._

"I didn't know if I could trust you in telling you. There have been some rumors going around the galaxy about the wraith who has become friends with the people of Atlantis. That is why I did not tell you right away, I was not sure if I could trust you."

"Well, I guess that is understandable. But we only became 'friends' with Todd, as you say to gain an advantage over the wraith. We control one faction of the wraith thanks to that little 'friendship'. It's a long story."

"No need to explain. There were rumors about one of the Atlantean people being transformed into a wraith to gain control of a faction, though mostly coming from the wraiths mouth, but none the less. Todd also mentioned something about that ordeal while he was performing Makela's surgery." _Ford said._

"We will allow our scientists to work on the ancient warships on Mirianic at whatever discretion is needed. Now, I think this meeting is over. And I know the two of you will want to get back to seeing how the children are doing so I will leave you to it."


End file.
